Diver lost in Cozumel today

[jd950]

Do you carry an inline whistle? Those things can be heard a very long ways. I blew mine without ducking my head in the water once, wow - but I've been found by boats I couldn't see.

Typically carry a dsmb, dive alert horn thing or whistle, a mirror and often have a light or more often the camera with strobes. I figure some combination of all that stuff would likely get me found if anyone is looking. This was the first time I ever actually needed any of those things, and the DSMB was entirely adequate.

Oh, one thing I have started carrying is a Scubado rag. After reading about someone floating for hours and getting really badly sunburned and overheated I thought something that could be worn on the head to block the sun and be dipped in the water from time to time might not hurt in the unlikely event I had to take an unplanned float in the sea, and they are easy to carry (I don't like wearing it while diving).

---------- Post added April 13th, 2012 at 02:11 PM ----------

This was a little bit of current to deal with...

If you say so...

 

[DandyDon]

Typically carry a dsmb, dive alert horn thing or whistle, a mirror and often have a light or more often the camera with strobes. I figure some combination of all that stuff would likely get me found if anyone is looking. This was the first time I ever actually needed any of those things, and the DSMB was entirely adequate.

Oh, one thing I have started carrying is a Scubado rag. After reading about someone floating for hours and getting really badly sunburned and overheated I thought something that could be worn on the head to block the sun and be dipped in the water from time to time might not hurt in the unlikely event I had to take an unplanned float in the sea, and they are easy to carry (I don't like wearing it while diving).

Good idea on the do-rag. I have a few I don't wear anymore. Now add one of these...

​

 

[Splitlip]

I have on on a an extra hose like Dumpster Diver. I pulled the guts out of the QD ind use it to inflate my big Halcyon DAM (DSMB) with one hand. For a while I was seeing them without the QD and divers had them clipped off to a d-ring or in a pocket. If it was needed, once floating at the surface a diver could disconnect his bcd inflator hose and attach the signalling device. In that way he did not need to deal with that extra 3 inches or so and stiffness while diving and using the inflator.

 

[fred3798]

I have the noisemaker that fits on my airhose in my bcd. But its $100+. (it was a gift).

 

[Valwood1]

This was a little bit of current to deal with, not the devil reaching out and grabbing people by the leg and pulling them down 800 ft.

I've been in a bad downcurrent (40' to 140' in less time than I like to think); when you're in it, you jolly well do think that the devil is pulling you down.

 

[WSOPFAN]

Originally Posted by ​

WSOPFAN

I read about many divers, DM'S, and Captain's who sure would have been relieved if they had seen some deployed rather than sit for 5-15 minutes wondering if anyone is going to surface.​

This was a little bit of current to deal with, not the devil reaching out and grabbing people by the leg and pulling them down 800 ft.

The amount of current was not the point, but it was bad enough that it had many worried. My point was that it appears entirely too many are taking those leisurely cool drift dives in Cozumel totally for granted. Did anyone stop to think before these dives what if? All those boats, divers, Dm's, and captain's all throwing divers over a wall and nobody it seems was prepared for.......bad currents......nobody deployed a sausage.....why is that? BTW it was alot more than a LITTLE current.........

 

[Darol]

Dandy Don said: I think it did one, overweighted newie with weightbelt wrapped around her several times at least...

Any news on the recovery efforts?
What a tragic preventable death ....

 

[fred3798]

I don't want to be one of those SB posters who bugs others, but Darol's post is an important reminder of the human tragedy being discussed and I found Don's glib comment insensitive at best. Thanks Darol.

 

[Ayisha]

I don't want to be one of those SB posters who bugs others, but Darol's post is an important reminder of the human tragedy being discussed and I found Don's glib comment insensitive at best. Thanks Darol.

Actually, look at what Don was replying to within his post. He was reminding a poster that this thread is in fact about an unfortunate death:

This was a little bit of current to deal with, not the devil reaching out and grabbing people by the leg and pulling them down 800 ft.

I think it did one, overweighted newie with weightbelt wrapped around her several times at least...

 

[DandyDon]

Any news on the recovery efforts?
What a tragic preventable death ....

There was some talk about hiring a deep water exploration outfit, but it's pretty hopeless I think. With the strong currents typical there, that week's very unusual currents & directions, etc. - the search field would seem endless. What we call deep dives there are really still on the relatively shallow area close to the island. I think it just has to be accepted as an unfortunate lost-at-sea accident.

I don't want to be one of those SB posters who bugs others, but Darol's post is an important reminder of the human tragedy being discussed and I found Don's glib comment insensitive at best. Thanks Darol.

I guess that's because this forum is not the place for sensitive remarks. It was especially sad loss, but sensitivities actually impede the possibilities of learning here - and even sadder would be avoiding the lessons and repeating the mistakes leading to more losses. Mike remark that "not...pulling them down 800 ft" was simply in error in view of this loss, and I'd see more safety in divers allowing for that risk if overweighted, unable to ditch weighs, and unable to deal with the common challenges as downwellings are always possible on those walls.

The Passings forum is appropriate for sensitive posting, and the unfortunate diver's thread there http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/passings/415952-cristina-cassin-28-mar-2012-cozumel.html is available.